Researching the effectiveness of a group music therapy program to improve social connectedness among women who have experienced pregnancy loss.
Tracks
Stream 2
| Friday, September 6, 2024 |
| 1:30 PM - 1:45 PM |
| Room 2 |
Speaker
Miss Jessica Rose
RMT
Noro Music Therapy
Researching the effectiveness of a group music therapy program to improve social connectedness among women who have experienced pregnancy loss.
Abstract Overview
BACKGROUND
According to the Office on Women’s Heath (2021), 15% of confirmed pregnancies are lost globally, though this number could be higher given that some pregnancy losses occur before women even know they are pregnant. Literature and research consistently conclude that women who have experienced miscarriage or stillbirth are prone to complicated grief and lack a sense of belonging in their community. Despite these findings, there is a dearth of support available for these women.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this proposed study is to investigate whether a 10-week group music therapy program can decrease social isolation, increase a sense of belonging, and build community among bereaved mothers following miscarriage or stillbirth.
METHODS
The study will examine a combination of qualitative and quantitative data, collected via a survey that participants will complete at the beginning and end of the music therapy program, as well as 10 weeks after the sessions conclude. The survey was created specifically for this study, utilising relevant questions from other measurement scales, including the Grief and Bereavement Assessment (GBA), General Belongingness Scale (GBS), and Sense of Belonging Instrument (SOBI). Following the self-report section, comprised of 10 statements for participants to respond to, there are 2 open-ended questions, which may also be contextualised by the music therapist’s observations from the sessions.
ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES
It is expected that the music therapy program will have a positive effect across a range of areas: the program will support/facilitate the grieving process; participants will experience improved emotional wellbeing, and; participants will feel validated and connected within the group sessions, and this sense of belonging will then translate from the therapeutic space to broader communities and settings.
CONCLUSION
This research will advocate for more accessible supports, including music therapy, to become available for bereaved mothers following pregnancy loss. Presenting or publishing the results will lead to greater awareness in society regarding the prevalence of pregnancy loss, as well as the ways in which women are affected emotionally and socially.
According to the Office on Women’s Heath (2021), 15% of confirmed pregnancies are lost globally, though this number could be higher given that some pregnancy losses occur before women even know they are pregnant. Literature and research consistently conclude that women who have experienced miscarriage or stillbirth are prone to complicated grief and lack a sense of belonging in their community. Despite these findings, there is a dearth of support available for these women.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this proposed study is to investigate whether a 10-week group music therapy program can decrease social isolation, increase a sense of belonging, and build community among bereaved mothers following miscarriage or stillbirth.
METHODS
The study will examine a combination of qualitative and quantitative data, collected via a survey that participants will complete at the beginning and end of the music therapy program, as well as 10 weeks after the sessions conclude. The survey was created specifically for this study, utilising relevant questions from other measurement scales, including the Grief and Bereavement Assessment (GBA), General Belongingness Scale (GBS), and Sense of Belonging Instrument (SOBI). Following the self-report section, comprised of 10 statements for participants to respond to, there are 2 open-ended questions, which may also be contextualised by the music therapist’s observations from the sessions.
ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES
It is expected that the music therapy program will have a positive effect across a range of areas: the program will support/facilitate the grieving process; participants will experience improved emotional wellbeing, and; participants will feel validated and connected within the group sessions, and this sense of belonging will then translate from the therapeutic space to broader communities and settings.
CONCLUSION
This research will advocate for more accessible supports, including music therapy, to become available for bereaved mothers following pregnancy loss. Presenting or publishing the results will lead to greater awareness in society regarding the prevalence of pregnancy loss, as well as the ways in which women are affected emotionally and socially.
Biography
Jess Rose was an AMTA Student Representative for her cohort in the Master of Creative Music Therapy course at Western Sydney University in 2023. Now, as a Registered Music Therapist, she works at Noro Music Therapy in Sydney, with clients of diverse backgrounds, ages, and with vastly different support needs.
